Paul said that the previous era1 was limited. However, this current era, which began when he revealed the pinnacle of his revelation found in his latter epistles, is limitless. Limitless is de-fi ned as “vast”2 and “seemingly boundless.”3 Th ese are appropriate descriptions of unadulter-

ated grace. Th e very nature of pure grace makes it so. Aft er all, “where sin abounds grace does much more abound.” Th e sin of Israel’s fall ushered in the expansive reign of God’s grace.

While Paul anticipated the era of the Acts period to wrap up quickly with the Coming of Jesus Christ, “the hope of Israel” was placed in abeyance, superseded by a previously unrevealed immen-sity of unparalleled grace. Th e Coming of Christ graciously has continued to remain in abeyance for centuries now.

Is Time Really Short?

What an economy Grace has been! What else would we expect from the pure grace of God? It has, indeed, been vast and seemingly boundless. It has spanned nearly two millennia, which pales in comparison to Paul’s previous profession that “time is short” (I Corinthians 7:29).

1. “A period of me that has a par cular quality or character” (MacMillan).“A long and distinct period with a particular feature or characteristic” (Oxford).“A period of time considered as being of a distinctive character” (Collins).

2. Webster’s New World College Dic onary.3. MacMillan Dic onary.

The Current Era Is The Current Era Is LimitlessLimitless

Clyde L. Pilkington, Jr.

… the era is limited … (I Corinthians 7:29, CV).

2

Th e Law spanned just over 1,500 years. If the Law which caused sin to increase lasted some 15 cen-turies, does it not make divine sense that Grace would abound long past such a period? Grace now stands at nearly 20 centuries. Is it nearly over? Is Grace about to cease by our appearing with Christ in Glory? Or, has Grace another 5 centuries? Or, perhaps another 10 centuries to double the dura-tion of the Law? Or, even well beyond that? What kind of show will God make of this great attribute of His? None of us should dare to be so presumptuous as to estimate the end of the era of His Grace!

Prophetic prognosticators4 are ignorant of God’s current unprophesied dealings with man. Th ey use Scriptures addressed to Israel, as well as Paul’s earlier epistles, to promote the idea of an “im-minent” coming of Christ (or “Rapture”). As a result, their hearers are encouraged to adjust their lifestyles unnaturally for this impending event. One passage from Paul’s Acts-period letters that is sometimes used to advocate such an adjustment is:

Th is I say, brethren, the time5 is short: it remains, that both they that have wives be as though they had none (I Corinthians 7:29).

Th is I am averring, brethren, the era is limited; that, furthermore, those also having wives may be as not having them (CV).

We have dealt previously in the Bible Student’s Notebook with the dispensational context of I Cor-inthians.6 An approach to life based on this passage from a previous economy would be a dishonor to God and contrary to His present purpose as revealed through Paul’s further advanced revela-tions found in his latter epistles. As a result, it will also wreak unnecessary havoc in one’s personal and domestic life, bringing added sorrow to the heart and disgrace to the message of His Grace. A husband who erroneously attempts to conduct his life today as though he had no wife, most likely will fi nd himself actually not having one!

4. e.g. Hal Lindsey (The Late, Great Planet Earth), Tim LaHaye (Le Behind), Jack Van Impe (Perhaps Today), Harold Camping (Are You Ready?), Ernest Angley (Raptured), Salem Kirban (I Predict), Todd Strandberg (Rapture Ready)

5. The word translated “ me” (KJV, Young) and “era” (CV) is καιρό ς (kairos). It is defi ned by A.E. Knoch as “a dis nct por on of me having special characteris cs” (Concordant Keyword Concordance). The Concordant Version translates it by four diff er-

ent English words in Paul’s epistles. Here are those words along with a verse example:“era” (I Corinthians 7:29);“occasion” (Galatians 6:10);“season” (Galatians 4:10);“period” (I Corinthians 7:5).

6. Rightly Dividing Paul’s Epistles: The Dis nc ve Messages of the Prison and Pre-prison Epistles (D.L. McCroskey; BSN #10; BSN #197); Paul’s Perfec on Epistles (A.E. Knoch; BSN #310); The Chronological Order of Paul’s Le ers: Their Dispensa onal Signifi cance (Clyde L. Pilkingotn, Jr.; BSN #319); Paul’s Post-Acts Ministry (R.B. Shifl et; BSN #346); The “Lord’s Supper” Brief Thoughts on Israel’s Passover (Clyde L. Pilkington, Jr.; BSN #382); Paul’s Five Ministries (Edward H. Clayton; BSN #484); The Dispensa onal Place of Marriage in I Corinthians 7 (Charles H. Welch; BSN #485); The Hope of Israel” in Paul’s Early Epistles vs “That Blessed Hope” in Paul’s La er Epistles (Clyde L. Pilkington, Jr.; BSN #485); The Lord’s Coming in the Early Epistles (Charles H. Welch; #486); Right Division Includes Paul (Stephen Hill; BSN #487).

3

Our Focus During this Era

Ephesians represents the pinnacle of Paul’s revelation. Here he lays forth the Secret Economy in which we now live today. In this epistle, rather than prompting singleness and a weaning of do-mestic life as he had done previously in I Corinthians 7, he tell us that domestic life now has a paramount place in spirituality.

In the last two chapters of this unparalleled revelation, we are entreated not to be “foolish” in our do-mestic lives by making the mistake of thinking that these heavenly truths should somehow make us distant or disassociated from domestic life. He desired that we should understand what the Lord’s will is for us today,7 and he leaves no doubts as to what that will is:

(1) that we are fi lled full with His spirit (5:18)8 and,(2) that we become focused on and dedicated to domestic life.

In Ephesians 5:17-6:9 Paul plainly lays forth what it means to be fi lled with God’s spirit:

– It enables us, from melodious hearts, to be an encouragement to ourselves and others (5:19).– It enables us be to be thankful always for all things (5:20).– It enables wives to be better wives (5:22-24, 33).– It enables husbands to be better husbands (5:25-33).– It enables children to be better children (6:1-3).– It enables fathers to be better fathers (6:4)– It enables servants to be better servants (6:5-8)– It enables masters to be better masters (6:9)

Religion has its own list of what it suggests are the eff ects of a spirit-fi lled life; but here Paul lets us see exactly what spiritual life looks like in our day. Unlike Paul’s earlier instruction,9 domestic life has now moved front-and-center. Th e focus of our era is marriage, parenting and employment, all done from melodious hearts always giving thanks for all things.

According to Paul, this is the advanced will of our Lord for today. So much so, that single women are instructed to “marry, bear children and guide the house” (I Timothy 5:14). Moreover, ideal family life10 is made a prerequisite to taking care of the ecclesia, for “if anyone is not aware how to control his own household, how will he care for the ecclesia of God?” (:5). Even service to the Body of Christ

7. Ephesians 5:17:“Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is” (KJV).“Therefore do not become imprudent, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (CV).“For this cause, do not become foolish, but have discernment as to what is the will of the Lord” (Rotherham).“Because of this become not fools, but understanding what is the will of the Lord” (Young).

8. Ephesians 5:18:“be fi lled with the Spirit” (KJV).“be fi lled full with spirit” (CV).“be getting fi lled in Spirit” (Rotherham).“be fi lled in the Spirit” (Young).

9. This instruc on was based on his at-that- me expecta on of the Lord’s coming.10. “Controlling his own household ideally” (I Timothy 3:4, CV ).

is predicated on ideal household service from which one is “procuring for themselves an ideal rank … in the faith” (:12-13).

Life matters. Th e details of life matter. Th e details of life are strategically designed by God to have meaning and purpose. Don’t waste your time imagining that you will be “raptured” (i.e., delivered away) from your divine training ground. It will be a costly mistake. Father is getting you ready for something bigger. Don’t come up short in your experience for celestial service.

Taken from the Bible Student’s Notebook™, a weekly Bible study publication available in two formats (electronic and printed)

www.BibleStudentsNotebook.com

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